Yorkshire Dialect Poems (1673-1915) and traditional poems

Coom, stop at yam to-neet Bob

     Florence Tweddell

     "Coom, stop at yam(1) to-neet, Bob,
        Dean't gan oot onnywhere:
     Thoo gets thisel t' leeast vex'd, lad,
        When thou sits i' t' awd airm-chair.

     "There's Keat an' Dick beath want thee
        To stop an' tell a teale:
     Tak little Keatie o' thy knee,
        An' Dick 'll sit on t' steal.

     "Let's have a happy neet, Bob,
        Tell all t' teales thoo can tell;
     For givin' pleeasure to the bairns
        Will dea thee good thisel.

     "I knaw it's sea wi' me, Bob,
        For oft when I've been sad,
     I've laik'd an' laugh'd wi' them, mon,
        Untel my heart's felt glad.

     "An' sing that laatle sang, Bob,
        Thoo used to sing to me,
     When oft we sat at t' river saade,
        Under t' awd willow tree.

     "What happy taames them was, Bob,
        Thoo niver left me then
     To gan to t' yal-hoose neet be neet
        Amang all t' drunken men.

     "I does my best for thoo, Bob,
        An' thoo sud dea t' seame for me:
     Just think what things thoo promised me
        Asaade t' awd willow tree!"

     "I prithee say nea mair, lass,
        I see I ain't dean reet;
     I'll think of all thoo's said to me,
        An' stop at yam to-neet."

     "I'll try to lead a better life-
        I will, an' that thoo'll see!
     Fra this taame fo'th I'll spend my neets
        At yam, wi' t' bairns an' thee!"

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